Faculty and Staff

Welcome Music faculty and staff! This section of the site is here to help the office
serve you better. To access faculty resources, you will need to log in with your West
Georgia single sign-on credentials (email address without the "@" is your username).

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UWG Resources

University of West Georgia Department of Music Faculty Handbook

Foreward

The purpose of this handbook is to provide Music faculty with essential information
for successful experiences at UWG. It includes expectations of faculty, university
and departmental procedures, and useful information about the Department of Music.
Please read this information thoroughly, and review specific procedures when time-appropriate.
The Handbook contains information that applies to both full- and part-time faculty.
Additional information for tenure-track faculty may be found elsewhere.

Faculty members are selected for their expertise and teaching ability. Yet there exist
certain administrative requirements that require timely and thorough completion for
effective functioning of the department, and to comply with university policies. This
handbook contains the necessary information to help you meet those administrative
requirements.

The Department Chair strives to support you in your work at West Georgia. Please contact
the chair any time you have a question. For questions regarding employment issues
and procedures, you may also contact the Departmental Associate. Best wishes for a
productive tenure at West Georgia.

Staff Accompanist

Pay Rates & Changes

Part-time faculty who teach applied lessons and studio classes are paid a rate per
student taught. Lecture classes are paid at a standard rate based on the number of
class minutes per week. These rates are quoted upon being offered a position. Because the paperwork is due before enrollment is finalized, paperwork is amended
after the program adjustment period (drop/add) to reflect actual enrollment. Therefore, the first paycheck may be higher or lower than subsequent checks. The
total semester pay will be accurate, based on enrollment at the conclusion of the
program adjustment period.

Human Resources

This office handles employment operations. New employees must visit the Human Resources
Office at Aycock Hall to sign paperwork and receive information. A photo ID with your
assigned ID number can be obtained through Auxiliary Resources in the University Community
Center. An ID is required for Ingram Library services.

Mileage, Travel, and Recruiting Expenses

No expenses for these items are reimbursed for carrying out your assigned duties.

Payroll Schedule

Faculty are paid in monthly installments each semester (August- December and/or January-May).
For each semester, the checks are distributed on the last workday of the month. Check
the Human Resources website for an exact schedule of payroll and maintenance dates. For each pay period, the
Human Resources Office establishes a maintenance date approximately two weeks before
payday. All of the required documentation must be processed through the Department
of Music, the Dean of Arts & Humanities, and Human Resources by the maintenance date
in order for new employees to receive a check on the first payday. No late checks
will be issued; however, any missed pay will be added to the subsequent payroll.

Parking

To park on campus, faculty must register their vehicles with Parking Services. Annual
vehicle registration costs $15, requires a UWG ID card, and includes a static-cling
decal and a key card to the gated faculty parking lots. New faculty without a UWG
ID should contact Parking Services in advance to arrange for a Visitor’s Parking Permit

Equipment & Facilities

Room Assignments and Usage

Room assignments for lecture classes, applied lessons, studio classes, and ensembles
are determined and maintained by the Departmental Associate. Please contact the Departmental
associate to use a room you are not regularly scheduled in.

Performance Space

Solo and ensemble performances by you and/or your students should be scheduled with
the Departmental Associate as much in advance as possible. Most solo and small ensemble
performances occur in Kathy Cashen Recital Hall. The Townsend Center for the Performing
Arts is generally reserved for large ensemble performances, and dates are scheduled
a year in advance.

Cashen Hall

Kathy Cashen Recital Hall is used for student and faculty solo performances. It is
utilized regularly for rehearsals and performances, and is in great demand from outside
entities. It is sometimes used for applied lessons or small ensemble rehearsals. The
Departmental Associate schedules all use of Cashen Hall. Do not use Cashen Hall without
first contacting the Departmental Associate unless scheduled to do so, even if it
appears to be available.

Equipment

Discuss your needs (e.g. chairs and stands) with the Departmental Associate to see
if needed equipment can be kept in your teaching space. If not, we may need to arrange
equipment to be moved on a regular basis. Please restore your teaching spaces to the
way you found them for the next class.

Keys and Access Permissions

You may check out keys for the rooms in which you teach from the Department Assistant.
Students enrolled in Applied Music classes may obtain a key to the practice rooms
from the Music Office for a small fee.

Responsibilities to Students

Syllabi

Prior to the beginning of each semester you teach, you must prepare a syllabus for
each course number you teach. Syllabi are posted on the Music website and hard copies
are kept in the Music office.

For reference please refer to UWG's Common Language for Course Syllabi. Please be aware that the university does not recognize plus and minus grades in
final grades. You may also find examples of existing syllabi on our website or in the Music Office.

Schedule & Office Hours

Your schedule is important to your students as well as to faculty and staff. Faculty
who teach lecture classes are expected to keep some office hours, even if it is only
before or after class. Your schedule should contain your sceduled lessons and classes,
contact info, and office hours (if applicable). As early as your schedule is known,
you should:

Post your schedule on the door of your assigned office/ studio, and

Submit a copy of your schedule to the Music office.

If you are unable to be in your office during scheduled office hours, please leave
a message on your door. While you should not deviate from your schedule simply for
convenience, you may revise your applied lesson schedule. Be sure to provide a copy
of any revised schedule to the Music Office.

Attendance

You are expected to make every effort to meet all lessons and classes - but circumstances
arise at unexpected times. In the event of illness or extenuating circumstances, contact
the Music office to inform us. If you need to miss a class or lesson for any reason
other than illness, please discuss your conflict with the Department Chair at the
earliest possible date. You are encouraged to make up lessons you miss, if possible.

Studio Classes

Full-time applied faculty are expected to have four (4) Studio Classes at the scheduled
times each semester. Student attendance at studio class must be reported as soon as
possible to the Departmental Assistant, but no later than the last day of class. Although
student attendance at studio class is required for MUSC 1000, you may (and are encouraged
to) require attendance for your applied students not registered for MUSC 1000. Studio
classes may be used for any purpose you deem appropriate, e.g. studio recital, master
class, seminar, guest lecture, etc.

Regarding MUSC 1000For your information, MUSC 1000 is a 0-credit class incorporating concert attendance,
studio classes, and laboratory ensemble experiences. Weekly meetings are scheduled
on Mondays, 3:30-4:45 p.m. Four of these sessions are Lab Ensembles (band & choir),
four are Studio Classes, and the rest are usually Student Recital Hours. Occasionally,
the time is used for Orientation, a seminar, a guest recital, master class, or some
other appropriate activity. Students receive a grade of S or U. Music majors need
six semesters of S credits to graduate.

Ensembles

Small ensembles coached by faculty are expected to meet at least 50 minutes per week,
and to present a public performance each semester. Students must register for ensembles
before the end of the add period. Neither the Instructor nor the Department Chair
can add students to class rolls after that time.

Applied Music Policies

Enrollment Levels and Requirements

Students register for applied classes as follows, where the instrument is designated
by letter (A = piano, B= organ, etc):

All students except Non-Music-Major Applied receive a weekly 50-minute lesson (considered
to be a 60-minute contact for purposes of part-time faculty pay). Students registered
for MUSC 2610 Non-Music-Major Applied receive a weekly 25-minute lesson (considered
to be a 30-minute contact for purposes of part-time faculty pay).

Students register for the appropriate number of credit hours appropriate to their
degree programs and class standing. In general, students are expected to practice
one hour daily per credit hour. The repertoire expectations are commensurate with
the number of credit hours and should be spelled out in the applied syllabus. Students
performing recitals register for the appropriate recital concurrent with applied lessons.
No additional instruction is provided for recitals, except for Composition, Jazz,
and Graduate Recitals. Only BM in Performance majors who have successfully completed
a Half Recital may register for 3 credit hours of MUSC 4600, except by permission
of the department chair. Generally, undergraduate students register for MUSC 2600
for their first two years, pass a Level Change Exam at the end of sophomore year,
and then register for MUSC 4600.

Undergraduate Performance majors present a Half Recital during their second semester
of upper-division applied study, and a Full Recital during their last semester of
study. Music Education majors perform a Half Recital or a Hearing in lieu of Recital
during the last semester of applied study. See below for hearing information. IMPORTANT:
see the degree Program Sheets on our website for the specific Applied Music and Recital
requirements of each degree program.

Due to budget constraints, students may not register for applied study beyond the
minimum hours required to satisfy degree requirements without the permission of the
Department Chair.

Repertoire, Scales, etc.

Expectations of scales, repertoire, and other accomplishments vary among voice, keyboard,
wind, string, and percussion instruments, as appropriate. Please check with a full-time
or experienced part-time instructor for specific information for your instrument(s),
and include specific expectations in your syllabus.

Public Performance Expectations

All Music Majors are expected to make at least one public appearance in a Student
Recital Hour each year. Expectations are higher for those majoring in Performance,
as follows: freshman year, one appearance; sophomore year, two appearances; junior
and senior years, three appearances. These are in addition to degree recitals. The
department staff documents these appearances in the student’s file by confirming that
the appearance occurred as scheduled and by placing a copy of the Student Recital
program in the student’s file. The Departmental Assistant also keeps an electronic
record of student performances.

Juries

Juries are held during the final exam period for all students registered for Applied
Music, except those who performed a recital during the semester. The Departmental
Associate schedules the juries of each instrument/voice based on the availability
of applied faculty. Jury schedules are posted on the Music Office window one week
before juries. Students are responsible for signing up for an appropriate jury time,
completing the appropriate jury forms, and bringing copies of the form for each juror
to the jury. Please be sure your students understand these responsibilities.

Level Changes

Students whose current applied registration completes the required number of lower-division
credit hours for their respective degree programs perform an extended, level-change
jury. These students sign up for two consecutive jury slots, and arrange for an instructor
of a non-allied instrument to serve as an additional juror. Please be sure that your
students arrange for this additional juror in advance. Specific expectations vary
as appropriate for voice, keyboard, wind, string, and percussion instruments. Students
complete sufficient copies of the level-change form for the jurors.

Recitals and Hearings

Students registered for Half, Full, Composition, Jazz, or Graduate Recital will be
assigned recital dates after consultation with their instructors. Students should
confirm these dates with the Departmental Associate. The department chair must approve
all changes of recital dates. The recital candidate and any others performing in the
recital must pass a hearing of the entire program at least two calendar weeks before
the proposed recital. The hearing panel consists of the student’s applied instructor,
an applied instructor of a similar instrument, and a third faculty member who does
not teach an applied instrument of the same family. At least one panel member must
be full-time. To pass the hearing, a majority of the jury panel must concur that the
recital is performance-ready at the time of the hearing. It is the student’s responsibility
to arrange a hearing time when all required personnel can attend, and when the recital
hall is available. Use of the recital hall is scheduled with the Departmental Associate.
Students also complete the Recital Hearing form, which is checked for accuracy and
signed by the applied instructor, and duplicated for the hearing committee. See the
Department of Music website for complete information regarding recital requirements.

Hearing in lieu of Recital

Music Education majors may present a half or full recital using the above guidelines,
or they may present a Hearing in lieu of Recital at or near the end of their last
semester of study. The hearing consists of at least 15 minutes of repertoire, and
utilizes the same form and committee requirements as above. Thirty minutes should
be allocated for the hearing and subsequent consultation of the committee.

Administrative Requirements

Professional Profile and Web Presence

All Music faculty are required to maintain a professional profile and web presence
on the department website. Therefore, the following items should be updated on at
least an annual basis:

Curriculum Vitae. The CV includes institutions attended, degrees and dates received, musical employment
and experience history, and any other information you wish to include that supports
your ability to perform your teaching responsibilities.Note: If your CV is unchanged per semester, you will need to indicate this per semester.Please
ensure no personal contact or other information is on this version as it is publicly
available.

A brief biography

A professional photo. You may use a professional photo already in possession or have one taken by our
campus photographer. Although not a requirement for the hiring process, it is an effective
recruiting tool and should be posted as soon as practicable.

Communication with Department

Communication with the Music office is essential to your duties. Most communication
between the department and faculty occurs via UWG email. Check your email regularly,
respond promptly, and notify the department of any changes in your contact information.

BanWeb

BanWeb is the university’s portal to online registration and grade records. Each faculty
(and student) is assigned a login and password, which the user may change at any time.
Your password must be changed from time to time. Log in at least once every thirty
days to avoid being surprised by an expired password. It is especially important to
log in prior to the end of the semester to ensure your ability to complete grade entry
procedures.

Class Rolls

Class rolls exist in electronic (online) form on BanWeb. There are four points in
the semester when you will interact with class rolls:

Beginning of classesDue to constant changes in registration during drop/add, these rolls change from minute
to minute. At any given time, you may log in to BanWeb to see who is registered for
your classes. For applied rolls, please discuss any concerns of credit hours, appropriate
level, etc., with the department chair. It is important that students make any necessary
registration adjustments during the drop/add period at the beginning of each semester.

After drop/addFollowing this period, the registrar requests the faculty to access their rolls online.
Be sure that your rolls are correct at this point, and discuss any errors or concerns
with the department chair.

Near the end of the semesterThese are what your final grade rolls will look like, and represent the last opportunity
to make corrections. Any unnoticed or unreported errors on these rolls will result
in a lot of extra work at grade-reporting time. Failure to check these rolls also
misses an opportunity to confirm that your password is still active, and allows time
for it to be reset, if necessary. Please be especially conscientious at checking these
rolls at the appropriate time.

Final rolls (a.k.a. “Grade Rolls”)These must be processed two ways: online for the registrar, and hard copy for the
department. Grades should be entered within 24 hours of the final exam or jury, but
no later than the time & date established each term by the registrar. Grades for graduating
students may be required earlier, at a time specified by the registrar. You may enter
any or all grades in a single session, or you may enter them over the course of finals
week. When you finish entering all grades for a single class, select the “print” option
to create a hard copy for the department.

Keeping Attendance and the R2T4 Enrollment Survey

To comply with government regulations regarding Financial Aid, faculty must keep accurate
attendance records, and be prepared to identify the last date each student attended.
At some point each semester, the Director of Financial Aid will notify faculty via
their westga.edu email to complete an R2T4 enrollment survey, accomplished via software
called GradesFirst. Please comply promptly with this request to avoid receiving escalated
emails from the dean.

Incompletes

Incompletes may be entered via BanWeb, but require permission of the chair, and completion
of a special form that must be completed for each incomplete grade, including reason,
grade up to that point, and work to be completed for removal of incomplete. Incompletes
may not be given for academic reasons. Please discuss any such cases with the chair
prior to assigning a grade of Incomplete.

Evaluation

The Department Chair may evaluate each part-time faculty member annually. You are
welcome to meet with the chair to discuss his evaluation of your work.

End of Employment at UWG

If you are leaving employment at West Georgia, an exit interview with Human Resources
may be required. The department will have to document that you’ve turned in all keys,
parking key card, library books, grade records, and completed all responsibilities.

Miscellaneous

Staff Accompanist

The Department hires Jan Adams to serve as staff accompanist for wind instruments
for juries. Students may hire Jan or another accompanist to play for Student Recital
Hours and other events. Please advise your students to provide their accompanists
with music at least three weeks prior to the event. For Half or Full Recitals, students
may hire an accompanist for a negotiated fee. For other situations, please inquire.

SmartMusic

The department has established five SmartMusic stations for student use, as well as
in some faculty studios. You are encouraged to utilize this technology to support
student learning.

Competitions and Special Events

There exist special opportunities on and off campus which may benefit your students
who participate. On campus, there is the Wright Scholars Concert, the Honors Recital,
Big Night, and (in some years) the Concerto Competition. Please be aware of these
events, their repertoire and eligibility requirements, and be sure that your qualified
students prepare appropriate repertoire. Arrangements for accompanists should be made
well in advance. Additional, off-campus opportunities are sponsored by NATS, GMTA,
and various other organizational and private entities. Please guide your students’
participation in these events.

Compliance with Copyright Laws

The Department of Music is committed to upholding all applicable copyright laws, and
to instilling an understanding of and respect for these laws in our student musicians.
Students are responsible for purchasing the music that they perform (as they would
books for any other course) and should accumulate a library of performance materials.
Students must not use photocopies as a means to avoid purchase of copyrighted materials.
Accompanists may use copies to facilitate page turns (not allowed in NATS auditions),
but originals must be present on the music rack of the accompanying instrument.

Social Media

The university does not currently restrict the use of social media interaction between
faculty and students. However, it is recommended that faculty not “friend” students
on their personal Facebook pages. Rather, you may establish a studio Facebook page
and restrict its content to items apropos to your studio.

Student Services

Please visit the Student Services website for important resources: www.westga.edu/~stusrvc/facstaff_res.htm

Health and Safety

Music majors, students enrolled in Music classes and ensembles, and faculty, are urged
to study the following information and resources regarding risks associated with Music
listening and performance.Hearing Health: Applicable especially to students enrolled in Music classes that involve listening
to recorded materials, to students participating in instrumental ensembles, and to
solo performers of brass, percussion, or amplified instruments: Hearing Conservation
for Musicians: Hearing Conservation for MusiciansVocal Health: Applicable especially to students enrolled in vocal Music classes, lessons, and ensembles:
Vocal Health PDFMusculoskeletal Health: Applicable especially to students who play instruments, but also to students, faculty,
and staff who use computer keyboards: Musculoskeletal Health PDF

Faculty and staff are urged to complete mandatory annual training modules in a timely
fashion, and to utilize resources provided by the Office of Risk Management regarding
their work environment.

Applied faculty and ensemble directors are urged to include information in their syllabi
and to devote class time to make students aware of risks associated with performance
of their instruments alone an in ensembles, and to address these risks in some detail
as appropriate to the specific area.

Disclaimer: Health and safety depend in large part on the personal decisions of informed
individuals. Institutions have health and safety responsibilities, but fulfillment
of these responsibilities cannot and will not ensure any specific individual’s health
and safety. Too many factors beyond any institution’s control are involved. Individuals
have a critically important role and each is personally responsible for avoiding risk
and preventing injuries to themselves before, during, and after study or employment
at any institution.

Due to the increased time commitments Music students have in comparasion to their
colleagues, many students practice and complete assignments within the Humanities
building well into the evening. Unfortunately, other nearby activities conflicting
with these assignments can pose both a nuisance and saftey issue to our students.
Please encourage your students to take necessary precautions such as keeping doors
closed and locked.